This year marks the 10th anniversary of AeroK's establishment. Vice President Kim Sang-bo is a founding member. What kind of airline is AeroK?

AeroK is a low-cost airline, referred to in business terms as an LCC (Low Cost Carrier). To be more precise, AeroK can be described as a new startup low-cost airline based at Cheongju Airport. Internally, we share with our employees the company's founding purpose: "an airline established to deliver positive energy and joy to the world on the journey of life." At AeroK, we frequently use the term "Journey" in life rather than simply referring to travel.

I am curious about what led you to start an aviation business in Cheongju. Compared to other businesses, the barriers to entry for the aviation industry must have been quite high. Did you have any connections to Cheongju?

Some low-cost carriers have parent companies, which allows them to launch their aviation businesses relatively easily. Since we intended to start as an independent LCC without a parent company, we conducted extensive market research in 2016. We thoroughly studied the success stories of advanced LCCs both domestically and internationally. Based on this, we discovered that these advanced LCCs created opportunities at secondary airports rather than primary ones. Primary airports refer to the hub airports utilized by each country; in Korea, this would be Incheon International Airport, Gimpo International Airport, and Gimhae International Airport. We noted that instead of competing with numerous airlines at primary airports, they avoided direct competition by operating at secondary airports located close to hubs and surrounded by strong demand. We saw that Cheongju Airport held such potential. Our company does not have any ties to Cheongju. We decided to start our business here after recognizing the potential and opportunities inherent in the region.

I would like to hear more about the potential of the Cheongju region that AeroK has explored.

First, I looked at the underlying demand. If you spread out a map of Korea and look at the locations of international airports, you will find Yangyang Airport in the east, Muan Airport in Jeolla Province, and Cheongju Airport in the center of the country. To measure the underlying demand, if you draw a large 100km circle centered on Yangyang Airport, half of it stretches over the sea, and the absolute population is small. The same applies to Muan Airport. In contrast, when you draw a circle, Cheongju Airport has a large underlying demand that spans from southern Gyeonggi Province to Jeollabuk-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and parts of Gangwon-do. Looking at the passenger capacity of Cheongju Airport in 2016, when AeroK was established, it was less than 1%. This figure is not because the airport is bad, but because there is a lack of supply at Cheongju Airport. That is the point I took note of. Furthermore, Cheongju Airport is connected to all modes of transportation in all directions. From convenient access via land transport to the underlying demand, Cheongju Airport was attractive in many aspects.

Since then, AeroK has become the hub airline of Cheongju Airport. What does the term 'hub airline' mean?

Many aircraft operate between various airports. A hub airport is the place where each aircraft undergoes maintenance, rests, and primarily conducts its operations. It is essentially a kind of home. While most airlines in Korea use Incheon Airport or Gimpo Airport as their bases, AeroK is the only airline that specifically uses a regional airport as its hub. AeroK conducts all its critical maintenance at Cheongju Airport. Although it may travel to other airports for business trips or assignments, the place AeroK ultimately returns to is its home, Cheongju Airport. The term "hub airline" is sometimes confused with "regional airline." For example, Jeju Air is Jeju's regional airline, but its hubs are Incheon and Gimpo Airports. On the other hand, AeroK is both a regional airline and a hub airline, with its headquarters and base located in Cheongju. I believe this aspect holds significant regional meaning.

I'm also curious about the 10-year story accumulated at AeroK. There was a major crisis called the pandemic during that time, wasn't there?

It feels like I've been riding a roller coaster every day for the past 10 years. (Laughs) When I founded the company in 2016, the energy was really high. To operate an aviation business, you need an aviation license; although we didn't have one at the time, the prevailing optimistic view was that we would be issued immediately just by applying. We applied for the license for the first time the following year, but it was rejected soundly. I think that was our first crisis. We pulled ourselves together, prepared for a year, and finally obtained the license in March 2019, but then the pandemic hit right away. At that time, about 90% of operations in the aviation market were suspended. As a new airline, the frustration was immense because we were in a situation where we couldn't operate despite having obtained the license. It wasn't until April 2021 that we were able to launch our first flight with a single route between Cheongju and Jeju. Even though we operated with just one aircraft, AeroK recorded the highest load factor among all routes operating at Cheongju Airport in 2022. It was a significant achievement, and as we have been steadily bringing in aircraft since 2023, we are now operating the 7 aircraft originally planned.

Despite going through various crises, it seems AeroK's position in Cheongju has become quite solid over the past 10 years. I felt like AeroK has become the face of Cheongju.

Many Cheongju citizens praise AeroK's brand image. When I think about the reason, I believe it is because AeroK's content is exceptional. The content we publish includes 'AeroK Meets' and the 'AeroK Onboard Series.' AeroK strives to deliver content that allows for a deep understanding of the local culture and sensibility, rather than focusing on commercial promotion. We deeply understand the local area and create content to introduce it. Also, many Cheongju citizens have told us that things have become more convenient thanks to AeroK. In the past, if you wanted to travel abroad, you had to wake up at the crack of dawn and travel for hours to get to Incheon Airport. But when they say that now, if they just make up their minds, they can comfortably depart from Cheongju Airport, I feel that AeroK's standing in Cheongju has become even more solid.

Why is the airline AeroK pouring its passion into differentiated content?

AeroK places great importance on culture. As a regional and hub airline for Cheongju, we are carrying out various activities while contemplating how we can contribute to the local community. For instance, we interview local creators and artisans to create in-flight content that is available in multiple languages for people around the world to view. We also support various activities during the preparation period for the Cheongju Craft Biennale, a famous international event in Cheongju. As part of this initiative, we established an award for artists participating in the Cheongju Craft Biennale. Furthermore, we are constantly seeking out and considering ways to contribute to the various cultural activities taking place throughout Cheongju at the corporate level.

You can't talk about 'Aero-K' without mentioning the genderless uniform. You say it's the world's first?

AeroK’s genderless uniforms are the result of our efforts to enhance the comfort of our flight attendants and minimize factors that could hinder safety activities, rather than simply chasing their beauty. In particular, many passengers recognize these efforts and tell us that they feel comfortable. It makes us very proud. Last year, we also collaborated with the fashion brand Matin Kim to produce limited-edition cabin uniforms to commemorate AeroK’s inaugural flight from Incheon.

What do you think is the joyful journey of life that only AeroK passengers can experience?

AeroK currently operates a total of 15 routes. Among them, we are focusing our efforts on the Northeast Asian region, including Japan. AeroK strives to select and provide popular routes most preferred by local residents that were previously unavailable at Cheongju Airport. Routes to Narita, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Sapporo are examples of this. Recently, we have also been dedicating our efforts to discovering and introducing routes with new appeal that are difficult to find even at Incheon or Gimpo Airports. AeroK aims to introduce destinations loved and frequently visited by locals in those regions, rather than focusing solely on Korea. We plan to operate with over 20 routes and 10 aircraft by the end of this year.

I am also curious about AeroK's vision and future plans.

We believe we share a destiny with Cheongju Airport. Therefore, as long as the airport continues to grow, we aspire to establish ourselves as the number one airline there, and furthermore, as the best airline in Northeast Asia. However, if we run solely focused on this goal, we can become exhausted along the way. That is why AeroK harbors a vision alongside this ambition: "To become the most preferred and most profitable airline on every route we operate." The emphasis is placed on "on every route we operate." AeroK's vision always aims for what is achievable and for growth to occur in the process. With this as our vision, we are striving to become an airline that grows every day.

Maker's Pick

3 Routes Recommended by AeroK

Ibaraki

It boasts a diverse range of golf courses, enough to be called the "holy land of Japanese golf." In addition to golf, visitors can enjoy various leisure sports such as surfing and fishing, and it is a place rich in natural surroundings and attractions.

Obihiro

It is the most preferred resort destination in Hokkaido for Japanese people, and a travel destination where you can experience a slightly more Japanese atmosphere. It is famous for fresh produce and dishes made with pork, and is an excellent travel destination with a relaxed vibe.

Ulaanbaatar

A city where the charm of vast meadows and serene monasteries blends together. It is a romantic travel destination where countless stars and meadows for riding horses unfold, and a special place where the city and nature coexist in harmony.